Hinojos, Aven sign letters of intent

By RYAN BLAKE THURMANHerald Sports Editor

Published 6:00 pm, Wednesday, February 3, 2010

It’s not something every high school football player gets to do, but if it happens, it’s a dream come true.

That dream came true for two Plainview Bulldog seniors Wednesday as Jacob Hinojos and Chance Aven signed their letters of intent to play college football at the Bulldog Field House with their parents, coaches and all of the high school Bulldog athletes watching.

“I’ve always loved football, since Tiger League,” Hinojos said. “My dad’s (Plain view head football coach Marcos Hinojos) raised me on football. Just to be able to go to college and play football, almost get paid to play football, it’s awesome.”

A man of fewer words, Aven was much more succinct in his explanation of how much his accomplishment meant to him.

Hinojos is headed to West Texas A&M on a partial scholarship while Aven is walking on at the University of New Mexico. Both athletes will be focusing on the defensive side of the ball, but Marcos Hinojos believes it will be a year or so before they are fully integrated into the team’s systems.

“Neither one of these guys is a first-year impact player at the college level, not even a D-II school. They’re kids that are going to go there, learn the system, put the time and effort in that it takes to earn a position, and I think they are the type of kids that are there to stay. I think they will start off in some kind of special teams first until they understand everything completely and then earn a spot.”

Marcos Hinojos was involved in the signing day festivities from a couple of perspectives, but as he has with the rest of the Bulldog football program, he changed things up a little.

In the pat, the signing-day event had been held in the high school auditorium with no audience other than coaches and family. Hinojos said he wanted to change that and use it as a catalyst to show the other athletes what can be accomplished with some hard work.

Aven confirmed that this idea was valid as he recalled former Texas Tech defensive back Jamar Wall signing his letter of intent to go play for Tech and the impression it made on him.

“Every kid dreams of doing this,” Marcos Hinojos said. “Not every kid puts the time or the effort it takes to get to the next level for whatever reason, but these two kids I know and have seen first-hand the effort they have put into it. And it’s pretty special being my first head job and one of the kids being my own son, but it’s like I told the rest of the kids before they signed. The sky is the limit if you’re willing to work, but you can’t just wait for it to come to you.”